2015 Porto Alegre and Rio

[Guest tomcal]

One more photo from Porto Alegre, I forgot about him until I found a friend request on FB today from him! this is a really nice guy I met at Bar Mixx, the night I met him I was sitting with several guys but he asked if I was going to be there the next night and I said I was going to Mezziniu, so the next night he showed up! Is 20, with a very German name as a lot of the guys there have. Definitely a repeat when I go back!

[mvan1]

One more photo from Porto Alegre, I forgot about him until I found a friend request on FB today from him! this is a really nice guy I met at Bar Mixx, the night I met him I was sitting with several guys but he asked if I was going to be there the next night and I said I was going to Mezziniu, so the next night he showed up! Is 20, with a very German name as a lot of the guys there have. Definitely a repeat when I go back!

Another great photo -

Tomcal, does Bar Mixx have busy and not so busy nights?

It has been my experience that the best times to visit termas mezzaninu is Friday and Saturday nights. Is Bar Mixx similar to that schedule?

I generally find the saunas in Porto Alegre fairly quiet on Monday through Thursdays.

I have never been to Bar Mixx. I am wondering if it has a late night schedule like the former Porto Alegre bar named Era Uma Vez in that it opens or gets busy late, after the saunas have died down.

Speaking of Era Uma Vez, it used to have busy nights then very slow nights then I stopped visiting the place. Is Era Uma Vez no longer around or no longer worth visiting?

Based on the two most recent photos you included, it seems that I should spend more time in Porto Alegre.

Thanks in advance for any information concerning “busy” nights in Porto Alegre at Bar Mixx.

[Guest tomcal]

Another great photo -

Tomcal, does Bar Mixx have busy and not so busy nights?

It has been my experience that the best times to visit termas mezzaninu is Friday and Saturday nights. Is Bar Mixx similar to that schedule?

Yes! the best nights are Friday and Saturday! But it is open Weds thru Sunday nights.

I generally find the saunas in Porto Alegre fairly quiet on Monday through Thursdays.

I have never been to Bar Mixx. I am wondering if it has a late night schedule like the former Porto Alegre bar named Era Uma Vez in that it opens or gets busy late, after the saunas have died down.

It opens at 9:00 pm but no one gets there before 10:00 and doesn't really start to fill up until after 10:30!

Speaking of Era Uma Vez, it used to have busy nights then very slow nights then I stopped visiting the place. Is Era Uma Vez no longer around or no longer worth visiting?

The owner of Era Uma Vez was killed a few years ago by a employee, it closed and reopened in Canoas, a area about 1/2 hour north of P.A. but I have never been there and don't know if it attracts the same clientel.

Mvan1, I tried to multi quote and answer each question above within the box but I thought I better post it here outside the quote box to be easier to read and explain!

Bar Mixx is open from Weds - Sunday nights. Open at 9:00 pm but no one is there before 10:00 and starts to fill up between 10:30 and 11:00 pm and starts to empty at 12:30 - 1:00 as the guys move on to other late night clubs. Friday night is the Best by far, Saturday's are ok. saying that, being there on Thurs or Sunday nights when it's slower has it's advantages! It is definitely hit or miss. About 1/2 the guys are from the saunas and 1/2 occasional rentboys. and there is a certain % that I have mentioned in the past that are like the "street trade" you would have seen along Santa Monica Blvd in the 80's and 90's!

Don't let the eclectic décor turn you off,( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mixx-Bar/202451943298127?sk=photos_stream)it's a fun friendly place. on weekends there is a number of gay couples also drag queens that go there so you really have a mix of types. On Friday and Saturday there is a drag queen and stripper show at midnight.

there are 5 basic "bedrooms" to rent if you find a guy you like, which are a standard mattress with new sheets provided. Each bedroom has a very umm...basic bathroom/shower, that I tend to avoid... and wait until I get back to the hotel!

This is definitely one of those places where you have to look for the diamond in the rough, but worth it and usually you will find one or two!

The owner is a nice guy, speaks no English but is very helpful if you have a question. There is a doorman the same as Ira Uma Vez, that hands you a white ticket with your name on it, that your drinks/food/room are recorder on and you have to hand it to him when you exit with the paid stamp on it! I have lost mine more then once given that my clothes seem to come on and off several times a night there and is how I got to know the owner so well in the beginning! :-)

[mvan1]

Mvan1, I tried to multi quote and answer each question above within the box but I thought I better post it here outside the quote box to be easier to read and explain!

Bar Mixx is open from Weds - Sunday nights. Open at 9:00 pm but no one is there before 10:00 and starts to fill up between 10:30 and 11:00 pm and starts to empty at 12:30 - 1:00 as the guys move on to other late night clubs. Friday night is the Best by far, Saturday's are ok. saying that, being there on Thurs or Sunday nights when it's slower has it's advantages! It is definitely hit or miss. About 1/2 the guys are from the saunas and 1/2 occasional rentboys. and there is a certain % that I have mentioned in the past that are like the "street trade" you would have seen along Santa Monica Blvd in the 80's and 90's!

Don't let the eclectic décor turn you off,( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mixx-Bar/202451943298127?sk=photos_stream)it's a fun friendly place. on weekends there is a number of gay couples also drag queens that go there so you really have a mix of types. On Friday and Saturday there is a drag queen and stripper show at midnight.

there are 5 basic "bedrooms" to rent if you find a guy you like, which are a standard mattress with new sheets provided. Each bedroom has a very umm...basic bathroom/shower, that I tend to avoid... and wait until I get back to the hotel!

This is definitely one of those places where you have to look for the diamond in the rough, but worth it and usually you will find one or two!

The owner is a nice guy, speaks no English but is very helpful if you have a question. There is a doorman the same as Ira Uma Vez, that hands you a white ticket with your name on it, that your drinks/food/room are recorder on and you have to hand it to him when you exit with the paid stamp on it! I have lost mine more then once given that my clothes seem to come on and off several times a night there and is how I got to know the owner so well in the beginning! :-)

Tomcal, thanks very much for this very helpful information. I shall put it to use next month.

One more thing, when I travel to other cities in Brazil from Sao Paulo, I generally buy a ticket locally, either from TAM or GOL. On my upcoming trip, AA said they can sell me a separate ticket for travel within Brazil since TAM is now one of AA's partners. Have you ever had AA issue a separate ticket for travel to a different destination in Brazil?

[Guest tomcal]

\One more thing, when I travel to other cities in Brazil from Sao Paulo, I generally buy a ticket locally, either from TAM or GOL. On my upcoming trip, AA said they can sell me a separate ticket for travel within Brazil since TAM is now one of AA's partners. Have you ever had AA issue a separate ticket for travel to a different destination in Brazil?

CAVEAT!! I absolutely HATE the Brazilian airlines websites!! Primary Offenders are GOL and TAM Airlines, unfortunately they are the two I use! TAM has the advantage of being part of the One World Alliance so if you have status with AA, you get to use priority ticketing and boarding lines and get credit for the miles.

They have so many problems and errorsf! Two examples: they switch 1/2 way thru the process from English back to Portuguese, this is especially true of GOL, or many times after you have spent 20 minutes entering all the information and are on the last page which is the payment/credit card section it errors out! (always happens with GOL) and may do it three or four times in a row and then all of the sudden work. or not show you the flights that are open and then an hour later show them, the list is endless! whew, ok now that I have that rant over with...

I have found AA not to work well trying to book TAM flights in connection with your AA international flight because it doesn't allow you to book the flight you want but rather what it wants to assign you. I had a AA customer service person on the phone and she couldn't even see the TAM flight I wanted and I am looking at it on TAM's website! But AA's system did not allow them access to that flight, but when I went to book it separately I had no problem. So I book the inter Brazil flights separately.

On my last trip, I arrived from the U.S. in Sao Paulo(GRU) and wanted to go onto Porto Alegre(POA) so I booked that flight with TAM as they had the best connecting flight. On my flight 3 days later to Rio(GIG) I booked it on GOL for the same reason, and then on my flight from Rio(SDU) to Sao Paulo(CGH) I was back on TAM. I do this for the schedules not the price. Depending on if I am flying to either Rio or Sao Paulo's City airports vs the International airports, usually one or the other has a advantage with the times.

I will say once you have made it thru the maze of the Brazilian airlines online ticket purchase everything has always gone well, never had a problem showing up at the counter with my email ticket locator code. I probably taken around 80 flights on GOL and 40 on TAM and never had a problem once I was finally able to pay for the ticket....sorry going on a rant again! :-)

[mvan1]

CAVEAT!! I absolutely HATE the Brazilian airlines websites!! Primary Offenders are GOL and TAM Airlines, unfortunately they are the two I use! TAM has the advantage of being part of the One World Alliance so if you have status with AA, you get to use priority ticketing and boarding lines and get credit for the miles.

They have so many problems and errorsf! Two examples: they switch 1/2 way thru the process from English back to Portuguese, this is especially true of GOL, or many times after you have spent 20 minutes entering all the information and are on the last page which is the payment/credit card section it errors out! (always happens with GOL) and may do it three or four times in a row and then all of the sudden work. or not show you the flights that are open and then an hour later show them, the list is endless! whew, ok now that I have that rant over with...

I have found AA not to work well trying to book TAM flights in connection with your AA international flight because it doesn't allow you to book the flight you want but rather what it wants to assign you. I had a AA customer service person on the phone and she couldn't even see the TAM flight I wanted and I am looking at it on TAM's website! But AA's system did not allow them access to that flight, but when I went to book it separately I had no problem. So I book the inter Brazil flights separately.

On my last trip, I arrived from the U.S. in Sao Paulo(GRU) and wanted to go onto Porto Alegre(POA) so I booked that flight with TAM as they had the best connecting flight. On my flight 3 days later to Rio(GIG) I booked it on GOL for the same reason, and then on my flight from Rio(SDU) to Sao Paulo(CGH) I was back on TAM. I do this for the schedules not the price. Depending on if I am flying to either Rio or Sao Paulo's City airports vs the International airports, usually one or the other has a advantage with the times.

I will say once you have made it thru the maze of the Brazilian airlines online ticket purchase everything has always gone well, never had a problem showing up at the counter with my email ticket locator code. I probably taken around 80 flights on GOL and 40 on TAM and never had a problem once I was finally able to pay for the ticket....sorry going on a rant again! :-)

Thanks again.

I also have had trouble with the Brazilian airline websites. That is why I asked about whether you had any success with using AA for the domestic portion of your Brazil trips.

It is comforting to know that I am not the only American having trouble with the Brazilian airline websites.

Now I understand a little better why there is usually a long line of people in Brazil for people wanting to buy air tickets. It seems even the locals have trouble with the Brazilian airline websites and prefer to go in person to buy their tickets.

Brazilian are wonderful people but their airline websites are not wonderful.

[Guest tomcal]

I mentioned in the previous post about how horseshit the Brazilian airline websites are! Here is another example: I just spent 45 minutes trying to book 3 flight segments for my trip in April. I want to go from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre on a Thursday, fly from Porto Alegre to Rio on Monday and fly from Rio to Sao Paulo on Saturday. Fairly simple 3 one way fares. The prices are really good, a total of $195. for all three flights! I first went on Tam airlines website as they are a partner of American Airlines, which I have frequent flyer status with. When I typed in Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre they offered one flight 7 hours later then I wanted! they don't ask when you want to depart, just the date and then they pick a flight! You have to go thru two more steps to get a look at any other flights. and you have to do these extra steps 3 separate times! So I go on GOL's website and actually found flights that had better times then TAM so went thru the process and everything was going fine until I got to the end where you have to enter payment information. When it asks for your credit card and then you address, It gives you pull down menu for the states and no option to enter manually. So I enter my address and city and then the pull down menu for states and....there is no listing for California!! It skips from Arizona to Colorado! So I can't complete the transaction...but then I saw it had a option to pay with paypal! So I thought ok it gets this done I will just pay thru paypal! No such luck! when I clicked on the icon, it timed out and said, "can't complete transaction at this time" try again later!! Also when you use their calendar to select the dates, they start the week on Monday not Sunday, so be careful when you select the dates!

[mvan1]

I mentioned in the previous post about how horseshit the Brazilian airline websites are! Here is another example: I just spent 45 minutes trying to book 3 flight segments for my trip in April. I want to go from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre on a Thursday, fly from Porto Alegre to Rio on Monday and fly from Rio to Sao Paulo on Saturday. Fairly simple 3 one way fares. The prices are really good, a total of $195. for all three flights! I first went on Tam airlines website as they are a partner of American Airlines, which I have frequent flyer status with. When I typed in Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre they offered one flight 7 hours later then I wanted! they don't ask when you want to depart, just the date and then they pick a flight! You have to go thru two more steps to get a look at any other flights. and you have to do these extra steps 3 separate times! So I go on GOL's website and actually found flights that had better times then TAM so went thru the process and everything was going fine until I got to the end where you have to enter payment information. When it asks for your credit card and then you address, It gives you pull down menu for the states and no option to enter manually. So I enter my address and city and then the pull down menu for states and....there is no listing for California!! It skips from Arizona to Colorado! So I can't complete the transaction...but then I saw it had a option to pay with paypal! So I thought ok it gets this done I will just pay thru paypal! No such luck! when I clicked on the icon, it timed out and said, "can't complete transaction at this time" try again later!! Also when you use their calendar to select the dates, they start the week on Monday not Sunday, so be careful when you select the dates!

I don't intend to be mean, but I had to laugh when I read what you have gone through to buy a ticket for a routine itinerary.

I laughed because I have had similar, but not as bad, experiences with Brazil's airline websites.

Maybe the Brazilians found a way to communicate with the beyond and then contracted with the Keystone Cops to program their airline websites.

When you use TAM on the U.S. site, it often does not work correctly. If you try GOL, it often rejects U.S. credit cards as payment and also insists on a CPF number, even from non Brazilians. You might want to add .br to the web address. For example, instead of www.tam.com you might get better luck if you enter www.tam.com.br. The same is true with GOL. However, even if you add the br, you often run into problems.

The poorly programmed Brazilian airline websites explain why so many Brazilians voluntarily stand in line for hours to buy a simple airline ticket.

If you notice when walking in large cities, there are countless travel agencies and most of them are busy. In the U.S. a travel agency is almost as rare as a hen's tooth. Most people in the U.S. and in other countries use websites to buy airline tickets. In Brazil, only sometimes.

TAM does have an office in Miami where you can call to book a ticket. However, the prices when purchased through the U.S. TAM offices are more than double what you will pay IF, and only IF you can make the reservation on line or in person at one of the many travel agencies in Brazil.

Boa sorte -

[ihpguy]

Not that it helps you gringos/estrangeiros, but with a Brasilian credit card these problems do not exist. And with the chips embedded into the credit cards, along with codekey cards and iTokens, credit card security is on an entirely different level.

[ihpguy]

My caseiro has to stand in line every month to pay his credit account at department stores C&A and Leader as well as twice monthly to Claro, because of his simple manner and lack of education. He spent the day with his wealthier boyfriend who could have easily resolved all of this and chose to let him fend for himself, which is the Brasilian way. To me it can be so irritating.

[Guest tomcal]

When you use TAM on the U.S. site, it often does not work correctly. If you try GOL, it often rejects U.S. credit cards as payment and also insists on a CPF number, even from non Brazilians. You might want to add .br to the web address. For example, instead of www.tam.com you might get better luck if you enter www.tam.com.br. The same is true with GOL. However, even if you add the br, you often run into problems.

About two years ago a CPF number appeared on my GOL account! don't know how it got here and I never applied, but I use the number and it works so I least I don't have that problem! I always use the the .br websites. I found in the past that when you used the American website for the Brazilian airlines my ticket price seemed to be higher when quoted in Dollars then when quoted in Reias.

And with the chips embedded into the credit cards, along with codekey cards and iTokens, credit card security is on an entirely different level.

As Mvan1 stated Americans could not use Master or Visa credit cards on GOL's website only Amex cards. This time I was able to finally use my MC because it is the Chip one, so I guess progress is slowly coming!

[Guest tomcal]

About 8:30 I got a whatsapp message from Sergio a guy I met a year ago and have seen on my last three trips to P.A.

Here's the background story about him and me:

I haven't talked about him much because he has been kind of a enigma for me! He is about 6'2" lean muscular build. I saw him at Mezziniu last year, but didn't get a chance to talk to him at the sauna, but he appeared very quiet and serious, didn't smile much, definitely the strong silent type. Later that evening I was at Bar Mixx in the pool room watching a couple of guys play one of whom was one of the strippers in the show that night and who I was taking back to the hotel. Sergio walked in and started to play pool and looked at me and gave a very slight smile. I left with the stripper and the next night ran into him again and we finally got a chance to talk, although most of his answers were one or two words. I asked him if he wanted to go to dinner and he said yes and we went to a steakhouse near the hotel. During dinner he became much more social and I could tell he was a real regular type guy. He has been working construction the last year and comes from a very close knit family. we left the restaurant and it was late and I had to get up early to leave for the airport so we parted company and started once a week or so conversations on Whatsapp, my last trip in October he came over to the hotel two days in a row but had a miscommunication the last day and didn't see each other.

This trip he was out of town until Friday so we met up at Bar MIx, then made plans for him to stay over on Saturday night. we were supposed to meet up at 9:30, but he was with friends over in Canoas which is a town about 30 miles and the other side of the river from P.A., so he texted and said he would be late and was very sorry but would I wait for him? I was at Bar Mixx when he called so I said fine we will do a late dinner, which is the norm in Brazil anyway. When he arrived at the hotel I had just gotten there ahead of him by about 2 minutes and realized I left my iPhone charger behind the bar at Mixx, so I said we had to stop by there to pick it up. He said "the restaurant we are going to is only 4 blocks from here! Mixx is 4 miles!" I said, it's worth the 10 min. taxi ride to get it! then he says smilingly "so now I know why you were not upset I was late"! this time it was my turn to smile!

We went to walk to the street** where many restaurants are on, to have sushi. One of my favorites is the DoDa Pub and it was now about midnight by the time we were seated. As we were eating I saw a waiter walk by with a pitcher of Sangria and said that it looked good, did they have it by the glass or only pitchers of it? and he said only pitchers so I passed. about 5 minutes later a pitcher arrives and Sergio smiles and says "we are walking back to the hotel and going to bed so it's not a problem!" So by the time we finished the pitcher it was 1:30 a.m. and I had to get up at 7:00 to leave for the airport to fly to Rio!! I really like him a lot, we laughed the whole evening. Between him and the law student, I am seriously thinking about making Porto Alegre my main destination in the future and skipping or at least cutting back the amount of time I spend in Rio!

I didn't post pics of Sergio when I posted the above and someone recently messaged me and asked to see a pic. The reason I didn't is because I can't seem to get a pic of him(and I have a lot!) that looks anywhere near as good as he looks! In fact when I first met him over a year ago and he gave his facebook page, I thought he gave me a fake one because the photos didn't look like the guy I was just with! He is 6'2", kinda reddish brown hair, lean muscular build, works construction and is 21. He dresses in baseball cap and baggy shorts most of the time and is very seriously looking, kind of a "you don't want to mess with me look". the appearance is totally deceiving! He is really nice and very sweet. I am posting his pics so everyone can see and I know you may think "what is tomcal thinking? that guy is not handsome!" Trust me in person he is sexy as hell...imho! :-) the pic is the last night I was in Porto Alegre and we were at a sushi restaurant and downed a pitcher of sangria, and this was taken there at about 1:00 a.m. He is definitely a cuddler! sleeping with him is almost as great as having sex with him!

[Suckrates]

I didn't post pics of Sergio when I posted the above and someone recently messaged me and asked to see a pic. The reason I didn't is because I can't seem to get a pic of him(and I have a lot!) that looks anywhere near as good as he looks! In fact when I first met him over a year ago and he gave his facebook page, I thought he gave me a fake one because the photos didn't look like the guy I was just with! He is 6'2", kinda reddish brown hair, lean muscular build, works construction and is 21. He dresses in baseball cap and baggy shorts most of the time and is very seriously looking, kind of a "you don't want to mess with me look". the appearance is totally deceiving! He is really nice and very sweet. I am posting his pics so everyone can see and I know you may think "what is tomcal thinking? that guy is not handsome!" Trust me in person he is sexy as hell...imho! :-) the pic is the last night I was in Porto Alegre and we were at a sushi restaurant and downed a pitcher of sangria, and this was taken there at about 1:00 a.m. He is definitely a cuddler! sleeping with him is almost as great as having sex with him!

ANY man that eats FISH is NOT in Grandmas wheelhouse.....cuddly or not.....

[MsGuy]

Even if he has a thick, juicy 9" pecker, Grandma? With a cute mushroom head?

No exceptions?

[Suckrates]

Even if he has a thick, juicy 9" pecker, Grandma? With a cute mushroom head?

No exceptions?

If that cock SMELLS like fish..... NO WAY, JOSE !

[Guest callipygian]

And there you have it.....The sex den profiles in advance!

[Guest parisrio2000]

BTW Tom,

Pablo Souza is neither straight enough nor brutish enough nor steroidal enough for PR2K.

Who is Pablo Souza?

Note, while I don't mind steroids and love muscles, a beautifully proportioned physique is more impressive to me than mere size, which is easier to achieve and not as hot.

[RA1]

Thanks to all for this thread. I have enjoyed it. BTW, all airlines start the week on Monday.

Best regards,

RA1

[TownsendPLocke]

I wish to take this opportunity to Thank TomCal 1000 times for sharing his real world experiences on these boards. Unlike a lot of the folks here he actually goes out and lives a life filled with travel,adventure and sex with beautiful men.

Tom-please keep up the fun times!

[axiom2001]

Sergio looks sexy in this pic, holding those chop sticks and exhibiting that vibrant smile encased by luscious, silkish lips! He looks quite enticing and lickable, even with his clothes on!!

[Guest tomcal]

Would you stop to give him a lift??

I couldn't get the cab to stop to help this poor guy out!! btw, this is not a unlikely scene in rio(guys in speedos) on sunny hot days they are walking all over copa and Ipanema in their speedos...always amazes me to be sitting at a restaurant several blocks from the beach on a busy blvd and their are guys constantly walking by in flipflops and speedos! that's all! I love it!

[mvan1]

Would you stop to give him a lift??

I couldn't get the cab to stop to help this poor guy out!! btw, this is not a unlikely scene in rio(guys in speedos) on sunny hot days they are walking all over copa and Ipanema in their speedos...always amazes me to be sitting at a restaurant several blocks from the beach on a busy blvd and their are guys constantly walking by in flipflops and speedos! that's all! I love it!

Yes, that hitch hiker would make a nice visitor to a guest's room in Porto Alegre (or any room, in any city, for that matter).

Question:

I will be returning to Porto Alegre in a few weeks and I think it is a good idea to try the Sheraton. I have never stayed at the Sheraton, in Porto Alegre.

In Porto Alegre I stayed at other good hotels but I always have an issue if a visitor comes to the room. The visitor either is denied access and told to meet me in a conference room, or is told to leave within 15 minutes of arrival, or I must register the visitor.

As we know, this awkward treatment of visitors to guests’ room is fairly common in Brazil - but not at every hotel.

You mentioned in prior posts that you have friends visit you in your room while in Porto Alegre. Is the Sheraton similar to other hotels in that you have to go through hoops if a visitor wants to access your room?

Any comment or suggestion is appreciated. Thanks

[Guest tomcal]

Mvan1, I like the Sheraton a lot! I have stayed there many times, It is the nicest hotel in P.A. (get the rooms in the mid range numbers like room 06,07,08.09 I think the numbering system is from 01 to 12 for each floor)as the hotel is build on a curve and they are in the center of that curve so the rooms are wider then the 01, 02 or 10,11 rooms. It is attached to a 3 story "boutique" mall with higher end clothing and speciality stores(although it does have a Lojas Americana in the basement level) and a food court on the top level but if you wind to the back of the food court there is a very nice somewhat expensive Churasscaria that is good for lunch.

The Sheraton has the highest level of security of any hotel I have stayed at. There is usually 2 and sometimes 3 large guys in dark suits stationed in the lobby and/or outside the entrance. Here are a couple tips for not having them question you.. but You will owe me for these good tips!! lol

1) if it is before 10:00 pm enter the hotel thru the side doors that are the entrance to the mall from the hotel, you enter the lobby along the back side of the front desk and usually the security is in the front of the lobby and main entrance so no one is really looking and you can turn right and be in the elevators!

2) I ALWAYS do this at all of the hotels, when you are bringing someone back at night, before you walk in the entrance hand them the plastic room key! Let them carry it in their hand! the night shift at the desk don't know who checked in that day, so they just assume that since he has a key in his hand he is a guest! works every time!

Also as you walk by the desk clerks make conversation with the guy in ENGLISH, even thou he doesn't understand anything you are saying! if the clerks hear you saying something like " that was a great restaurant tonight, we will have to go there again tomorrow" they will not question who you are with because they assume you are together.. My regular guys in P.A. all know this trick and when I am talking as we walk by the desk they will say "Oh yeah" or "great!" lol

Another thing always book the room double occupancy!! that way if there is a question you can say "I paid for a room for 2"! There is no price difference and I had a friend who booked single and they told him he had to pay for his guest! This is also the reason I do not stay at the Cosmopolitan Hotel which is less then 2 years old and about 5 blocks down the street from the Sheraton! It is a modern kind of IKEA mimimalist design, but a good value for the money BUT If you have a guest come to you room they charge you $50.R per 1/2 hour!! a ripoff.

I have told this story before but worth repeating, a couple of years ago I was staying at the Sheraton and I got back to the room at 1:00 a.m. and went to sleep.. at 2:00 a.m. the phone rings and it's the front desk. they say "a Mr. Caio is here should we send him up?" I said yes and 2 mins later he was at the door. It was a guy I knew well but hadn't contacted before the trip this time and he heard from one of the guys I was in town and he knew I always stay at the Sheraton when I was there, so he just came over and the desk had no problem letting him come up!

If you walk out the front door of the Sheraton and go across the street you are on Padre Chagas, it is about 6 blocks long and it has a lot of cafes and restaurants and at the dead end of the 6 blocks are about 5 restaurants that are all good!

These are all tips made thru trial and error over some 40 + trips to Porto Alegre.

[mvan1]

Mvan1, I like the Sheraton a lot! I have stayed there many times, It is the nicest hotel in P.A. (get the rooms in the mid range numbers like room 06,07,08.09 I think the numbering system is from 01 to 12 for each floor)as the hotel is build on a curve and they are in the center of that curve so the rooms are wider then the 01, 02 or 10,11 rooms. It is attached to a 3 story "boutique" mall with higher end clothing and speciality stores(although it does have a Lojas Americana in the basement level) and a food court on the top level but if you wind to the back of the food court there is a very nice somewhat expensive Churasscaria that is good for lunch.

The Sheraton has the highest level of security of any hotel I have stayed at. There is usually 2 and sometimes 3 large guys in dark suits stationed in the lobby and/or outside the entrance. Here are a couple tips for not having them question you.. but You will owe me for these good tips!! lol

1) if it is before 10:00 pm enter the hotel thru the side doors that are the entrance to the mall from the hotel, you enter the lobby along the back side of the front desk and usually the security is in the front of the lobby and main entrance so no one is really looking and you can turn right and be in the elevators!

2) I ALWAYS do this at all of the hotels, when you are bringing someone back at night, before you walk in the entrance hand them the plastic room key! Let them carry it in their hand! the night shift at the desk don't know who checked in that day, so they just assume that since he has a key in his hand he is a guest! works every time!

Also as you walk by the desk clerks make conversation with the guy in ENGLISH, even thou he doesn't understand anything you are saying! if the clerks hear you saying something like " that was a great restaurant tonight, we will have to go there again tomorrow" they will not question who you are with because they assume you are together.. My regular guys in P.A. all know this trick and when I am talking as we walk by the desk they "Oh yeah" or "great!" lol

.and always book the room double occupancy!! that way if there is a question you can say I paid for a room for 2!

I have told this story before but worth repeating, a couple of years ago I was staying at the Sheraton and I got back to the room at 1:00 a.m. and went to sleep.. at 2:00 a.m. the phone rings and it's the front desk. they say "a Mr. Caio is here should we send him up?" I said yes and 2 mins later he was at the door. It was a guy I knew well but hadn't contacted before the trip this time and he heard from one of the guys I was in town and he knew I always stay at the Sheraton when I was there, so he just came over and the desk at no problem!

If you walk out the front door of the Sheraton and go across the street you are on Padre Chagas, it is about 6 blocks long and it has a lot of cafes and restaurants and at the dead end of the 6 blocks are about 5 restaurants that are all good!

You have figured out a clever and workable system.

In Brazil, apparently it does not matter which city or which hotel a person uses with respect to getting or possibly getting a hassle for having a guest come to your room. It just goes with the territory, so to speak.

At one hotel in Porto Alegre, as I wrote, a visitor was totally denied to my room and I was advised I had to meet with the visitor in a conference room. What? I did not do that. The next day, I checked out of the hotel and went to another one.

It is odd. In Barcelona, where about 70% of the sauna guys are Brazilian, those same guys can come to a hotel guests' room without any problem, regardless of the hotel. In England, where half the escorts are Brazilian, the escorts can come to a hotel guests room. In Switzerland, where about half the escorts are Brazilian, they can come to a guests room, unhindered. However, in Brazil, a Brazilian visitor is hassled or denied.

Oh well, Brazil has so many other great features I will have to regard the goofy visitor policy like a game rather than a hindrance to gain the visitor access to the room.

Thanks very much for the suggestions on how to likely bypass a potential hassle if you have a visitor. I might be trying one or two of those methods.

[msclelovr]

"that hitch hiker would make a nice visitor to a guest's room in Porto Alegre (or any room, in any city, for that matter"

I've had him and I certainly agree. He makes a nice personal trainer too (his day-job) and tho he's bulked up more now, and is verging on what I deem 'steroidal' in size, he remains eager and willing to please.